Ok... this is seriously scary!

Take a look at that profile! Whoa.
Hopefully our next post will be about our new baby boy!

Ava-isms

Amy (after hearing Ava cough suddenly): "Wow. Where did you get that cough?"
Ava (without pause): "From the pickle-jar."

Amy: "Sorry, Ava. We aren't going to have any more crackers."
Ava (with drama): "But MOM! Then I'm going to die!"

Ava to Elle: "Hurry! There's a lion coming and he's going to get us in 2 'sekons' flat."

(Playing Jewelry store with playdoh necklaces...)
Ava: "I made this bee-uuuuuU-tiful necklace."
Amy: "How much does it cost?"
Ava: "About 7 weeks."

(Reading Sleeping Beauty before bed:)
Amy: "... and they named her Aurora."
Ava: "hmmm... maybe they should have named her Tina."

The day is full of millions of these little joys. I wish I could bottle up the giggles, luvs, smiles, and funny little thoughts.... They fleetly fly.

Merry Christmas!!

After all of Elle's planning and counting-down to Christmas... she ended up being very very sick on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day. She had a high fever and could barely lift her head off the couch to eat or even read a Christmas story. It about broke my heart! She asked to go to bed early on both nights... but she was ever cheerful and tried to make the best of it. Ava felt fine, but was keeping Elle company on the couch.

Christmas Eve dinner...

Opening stockings...

Modeling a Christmas dress from Grandma...

Giving Dad his present...

Double fisted chocolate consumption...joy!

Enjoying new Christmas treasures... stickers, crayons, paper, flamenco dresses ...
who could ask for anything more?

Do you ever feel like this?

I do!

Joseph's Technicolor Stable

Miss "Deck the Halls" a.k.a. Elle Robinson is in full crafting mode. Every morning I hear her in her bedroom switching on the light and busy before any of the rest of us are up. When I finally come to, she shows me her new creation -- made of collected bits of string and shiny paper, or a feather from an old Indian headband, or a piece of fabric that Ava ripped off of a barbie skirt, along with a saved sticker, etc. Something to hang up for Christmas.

Elle had made the 'stick house' with her dad as a Saturday project she dreamed up a few weeks ago with sticks she carried home from the park. She had painted walls and a roof -- and we decided it would make a great stable. A few days later she was cutting strips of paper... she saved them in a pile I was so tempted to throw away! But when I asked what they were for -- she said "It's hay for the stable!" So we finally made the figures (toilet paper rolls!) (Aside: after we made the Shepard and the angel and Mary and Joseph, the girls rushed them off to play -- and I could hear from the other room Ava's angel asking the Shepard if he would marry her? He said yes.)




And here it is. Isn't it colorful? We found this place for it where the Angel can fly from the lamp and the star can be lit from behind. The girls are thrilled with it. Our tree is up (OK, so it looks like a branch) and the girls are in love with that too! Each night we read our stories and scriptures by it, and it is as cheery as can be. Oh, to be like a child and see the beauty of the shiny paper and bits of string catching the light on a plastic tree -- more beautiful because they helped in the creation. As Elle sat an looked at the tree the night we decorated it, she said with a sigh "Oh Mama, I think this is the most beautiful tree in the whole world. I love Christmas. It just really makes me think of Jesus." With tears in my eyes, I whole-heartedly agreed.

Gracias-giving!

It was a taste of home... we were thankful for the invitation for a Thanksgiving meal at the home of the Wilson's -- a kind family from our ward. They invited the other Americans in the ward (that totaled 14 of us -- including our kids) and put out a beautiful spread. Nathan helped carve one of the turkeys and I just helped lick the plates clean! We are thankful for good friends here in Madrid who have really helped us at every turn. We are thankful for a loving family who sends love by prayer and packages! We are thankful for each other...

and for the little turkey in the oven.

Elle Turns 5!

After weeks of planning and anticipation... We finally celebrated Elle's 5th Birthday!! She has been making all sorts of plans, and I was worried that the day may not live up to her expectations... but she kept saying -- "This is my favorite day!" so, I think it turned out alright.

In the morning she woke up and got dressed in her white button up blouse and wool jumper -- and had asked us all to also come to her birthday in nice clothes ("You can wear one of your black things Mama" -- I don't fit into many clothes these days. ) -- and we were each handed a "ticket" (a small plastic heart) to come to her party.

She saw all the presents I had laid out and the banner I had hung up -- and oohed and aahed.
She had also made a little sign where she printed:
"Happy Birthday turning 5" which she taped to a big stick from a pine tree we found at the park. and set it by the front door "so that people could see there was someone having a birthday in here!" (sad I don't have a picture of this!)

Then we had pancakes and fruit shake for breakfast. Nathan sang all the birthday songs he could think of and told her the story of when she was born.

Opened presents.

Then the girls played with the presents -- Elle got a music box from mom, and a Paris Eiffel tower (which we got in Paris) from dad, a pony from Ava... and some other nice things from grandma and grandpa.

Went to violin class (which took most of the day -- it is a long trek -- and the trains run further apart on Saturday) -- where the group class played Happy Birthday on their violins and cellos -- and sang 'Feliz Cumpleanos' to the birthday girl.



When we got home it was time to make the cake, and then -- THE PINATA! The girls were so excited about this! (I know, don't laugh, Elle and Ava and I made it -- It's a dinosaur egg).












We played some other games to Elle's request: Bowling -- with a plastic bowling set we have, and dance party! But when I started dancing with my big belly swinging around in front of me, she called it off... I'm serious.

Time for Elle's dinner: Asparagus soup, salad and fresh bread from the bakery, with butter.







The girls made necklaces and bracelets with a new bead kit Grandma sent.


Then CAKE. Elle wanted M&M's and whipped cream... and chocolate cake. It was pretty delicious. And a very fun day.

What a girl! We love our Elle -- but she's growing up way way too fast. Here is a little review of her over the years!

Day 1

1 year old

2 years old


3 years old

4 years old

5 years old!!